Cyclospora-linked Produce Company Suspends Salad Shipments to U.S.

The Mexican company responsible for shipping contaminated salad mix linked to more than 500 cases of the intestinal illness cyclospora in the U.S. has suspended shipments of salads and related products into the country, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

On Monday, Taylor Farms de Mexico "officially informed FDA that, as of August 9, 2013, the company voluntarily suspended production and shipment of any salad mix, leafy green, or salad mix components from its operations in Mexico to the United States," the FDA reported on its website.

The company told the FDA that it would not resume the production and shipping of the salad products from its operations in Mexico without FDA approval.

Investigations in Iowa and Nebraska concluded that a prepackaged, industrial standard salad mix of iceberg and romaine lettuce with shredded carrot and red cabbage distributed by Taylor Farms de Mexico was the source of the cyclospora outbreak.

To-date, 539 cases of cyclospora have been reported in 19 states and New York City, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 153 in Iowa and 86 in Nebraska. Texas has reported the lion's share of cyclospora cases with 215.

By volunteering to suspend shipments of the implicated salad mix, as well as iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, green leaf lettuce, red cabbage, green cabbage and carrots,  the move by Taylor Farms de Mexico "exemplifies the company's cooperation with federal and state officials throughout this ongoing, complicated investigation," the FDA said in a statement.

The FDA will take part in an inspection of the Taylor Farms facilities to learn about the probable cause of the outbreak and take action to ensure it does not happen in the future. The last FDA inspection of the Mexican facilities in 2011 found "no notable issues," the FDA reported.

Cyclospora, caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, is contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water.

Among the ranks of salmonella and E.coli, cyclospora is considered to be less dangerous to overall health, but an infection can still make life miserable, with symptoms including abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, fever and others. If untreated, symptoms can last longer than one month.

The best way to avoid contracting a stomach bug like cyclospora is to wash all fruits and vegetables before eating. Prepackaged, "ready-to-eat" salads and vegetables should also be washed to avoid unwanted contamination, according to one expert.

"Wash all your fruits and salads before ingesting," Dr. Salvatore Pardo, vice chairman of the emergency department at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., told the website HealthDay.

"My hunch is the public does not do this to 'prepackaged' salad, which is normally purchased for convenience and dumped into the bowl since it tends to be free from particles -- dirt, sand, critters -- one would normally find in locally picked ingredients."